Blackhawks Lose to Predators, Trail 3-0 in Series

The Predators can clinch with a victory on Thursday in Nashville

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The Chicago Blackhawks find themselves in a 3-0 series hole after losing 3-2 to the Nashville Predators in overtime.

With just over three minutes remaining in overtime, Kevin Fiala potted his second goal of the series on a deke around Corey Crawford to give Nashville the victory and the stranglehold on the series.

Filip Forsberg scored a pair of goals for the Predators to help force the overtime period. Dennis Rasmussen and Patrick Kane each scored goals in the second period in a losing effort for the Blackhawks.

Crawford ended up stopping 46 shots in the game, but it wasn't enough as the Blackhawks find themselves in a deep hole.

For the third game in a row, the Blackhawks got off to a strong start, peppering Pekka Rinne with shots. One of their best scoring chances came on a clearing attempt by Johnny Oduya, which ricocheted off the boards and nearly skipped into the net. Rinne was able to stop it however, keeping the game scoreless.

It would remain scoreless until the early stages of the second period, as Rasmussen finally got the Blackhawks on the board. Off a great feed from Marcus Kruger, Rasmussen slid the puck past Rinne, giving the Blackhawks their first lead in the series.

The Blackhawks would add to their lead 10 minutes later, and this time their biggest star was the one doing the damage. On the power play, Kane skated in close to the net, and he rifled a wrist shot past Rinne to make it a 2-0 game and give the Blackhawks the momentum with 20 minutes to go in the game.

Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, they weren't able to hold onto that lead. Just four minutes into the period, a shot attempt by Viktor Arvidsson bounced off the glass behind the net and skipped back into the blue paint. Forsberg was in the right place at the right time, and he knocked the loose puck home to cut the Blackhawks' lead to 2-1.

With just six minutes to go in regulation, the Predators tied things up. Forsberg again was the man doing the damage, taking advantage of Arvidsson hitting Crawford outside of the crease and potting a rebound tally to knot things up at 2-2 to force overtime.

The game stayed tied until the late stages of overtime, but the Predators ultimately triumphed. Picking up the puck, Fiala charged hard into the crease, deking around Crawford and scoring the game-winner to put the Predators ahead by three games in the best-of-seven series.

The Predators will have a chance to finish off the series on Thursday night when Game 4 takes place at Bridgestone Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., and the game will air locally on CSN Chicago.